More likely COVID breakthrough infections in people living with HIV

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 (HealthDay News)-even after vaccination Live with HIV New studies show increasing the likelihood of COVID infection.

The study found that vaccinated people living with HIV were 28% more likely to develop a “breakthrough” COVID infection than those who did not have the virus that causes AIDS. rice field.

That’s bad news. But there is also good news.The overall risk of COVID infection in people who have received at least two initial doses is their HIV situation.

“we, HIV Due to the effects of HIV Immune system And the role of the immune system in responding to vaccination and infection from viruses like SARS-Cov-2, “inferred research author Kelly Althoff.

“About 4 out of 100 people living with HIV, 3 out of 100 people living with HIV, compared to about 4 people living with HIV,” said Altov, an associate professor of public health and epidemiology at Johns Hopkins. “.

However, nine months after vaccination, it was reassuring to confirm that “the breakthrough rate and risk of vaccinated people, with or without HIV, is low.” It is about 4% in each group.

Her team analyzed data from approximately 114,000 men and women vaccinated with COVID, of whom 33,000 were infected with HIV. Most were 55 years or older, 70% were white, and more than 9 out of 10 were male.

The authors focused on the more contagious late 2021 COVID risk. Omicron variant Appeared. Altov said breakthrough infections were generally high, regardless of HIV status, in December, when Omicron became the predominant strain.

Not only have researchers identified a 28% higher risk of breakthrough infections among HIV-infected people, but they also find that some HIV-infected people face a higher risk of infection than others. I pointed out. People under the age of 45 were also included compared to those between the ages of 45 and 54. There was also an increased risk among those who did not receive a third (or boost) dose or who were previously infected.

As the number of T cells decreased, so did the risk of breakthrough infections in HIV-infected persons. According to the National Library of Medicine, T cells are important white blood cells that fight infection and are usually infected with HIV. (If the T cell count in HIV patients drops to very low levels, it is often a sign of a transition to full-blown AIDS.)

Altov said she and her colleagues “assume that HIV-induced immune dysfunction may be affecting the vulnerability.” Breakthrough COVID-19 illnesses. “

So boosters may be important for such patients, she said.

Currently, Altov points out that a third booster is recommended for people who have not been treated or have advanced HIV.

“To increase protection against breakthrough infections, anyone infected with HIV may need additional doses in the primary series,” she said.

The idea was repeated by Dr. Joel Blankson, a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine, who was not part of the study.

“It’s important for people living with HIV to get boosters when they’re eligible,” says Blankson, as the study showed a reduction in breakthrough infections in patients who received a third vaccination. ..The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a COVID vaccination Guidelines here.

However, “it is traditionally known that HIV patients with a high number of immune cells are better protected from infection than patients with a low number of immune systems,” he added. “The risk of COVID reinfection seems to follow this same pattern.”

Therefore, Gut said it is important to control HIV infection as much as possible.

The findings are in the June 7th issue of JAMA network opened.

For more information

HIV.gov has more information about HIV status and COVID-19.